THE LEO KUCINSKI ACADEMY EXPERIENCE

The Academy, a partnership between Morningside College and the Sioux City Symphony, is strongly dedicated to providing quality music education to students of all ages. In addition to studying with professional musicians, students will be able to attend monthly workshops, performance classes, recitals given by the faculty, the spring recital, and other academy events. Students will benefit not only by performing themselves but by listening to their peers and others perform. We strongly encourage students to attend Academy performances as well as other music events in the community. At their teacher’s request, students will be asked to perform during performance classes.

In addition to private study, the Academy also offers an Early String Program (for first-time string players ages 4 and up), Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools Strings Program, and the Youth Orchestras Program.  Students may audition for membership in one of three ensembles that rehearse weekly on the Morningside College campus. 

Leo Kucinski, a young Polish violinist, came to Morningside College in the early 1920s. A graduate of the Juilliard School, he built a musical community from the bottom up. He recognized that one had to teach young students, support existing musicians, attract new professional musicians to the community, and create opportunities for these individuals to work and play together in order to build a successful and flourishing music community. Through the cooperation of Morningside College, where he taught, the Sioux City Community Schools, and private teachers, he was successful in creating the Sioux City Symphony, now a crown jewel of the Siouxland musical community.

The need for excellence in music education is as great now as it was during Maestro Kucinski’s life. This is why the Leo Kucinski Academy of Music has been established. The academy exists to complement and support the education and performance efforts of Sioux City’s public and private schools and the home school community, as well as the surrounding school systems and other cultural organizations.